- Longer-term agreements (over three years) allow the janitorial services company to amortize the equipment costs over a longer period, reducing the monthly cost. It translates to a lower monthly cost to the client.
- Year one of a janitorial contract is rarely profitable for any commercial cleaning company. Financially, the awarded cleaning contractor is writing off janitorial equipment costs and stabilizing the account with more-than-budgeted staff to ensure a seamless transition and accommodate a new (and often very dirty) environment that needs more attention than a brief walk-through represents. Engaging a commercial cleaning company in a multi-year contract will alleviate the pressure to squeeze the account in year one to try to make a profit. Everyone can breathe easier and focus on sustainable priorities like client satisfaction and hitting short-term and long-term client goals.
- Focus on long-term savings by having strategic conversations around the scope of work and janitorial staffing adjustments based on continuous learning to hit your financial goals. These conversations are not productive when working with a one to two-year contract term.
Of course, these considerations only work with a janitorial services contractor with innovative cleaning programs in place. Don’t trust any commercial cleaning company with a long agreement without doing homework. Ensure they are innovative, tend to client objectives, and run a high-performance business before entering a long-term contract. If approached as a long-term partnership, you will benefit from a relationship that builds trust over time, hits your facility and financial goals, and avoids a costly and time-consuming RFP process every year.
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